Image processing apparatus and non-transitory computer readable medium

ABSTRACT

An image processing apparatus includes a search unit that searches a search area, which is a part of a first image extending over two pages included in the first image, for a dividable area, the first image being indicated by first image data and a division unit that generates second image data indicating two second images, each of which corresponds to one of the two pages, by dividing the first image along a dividing line passing through, in a second direction, which is perpendicular to a first direction, the dividable area found by the search unit, the first direction being a direction across the two pages.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based on and claims priority under 35 USC 119 fromJapanese Patent Application No. 2019-011385 filed Jan. 25, 2019.

BACKGROUND (i) Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to an image processing apparatus and anon-transitory computer readable medium.

(ii) Related Art

There have been demands that a scanner should read two pages in a bookas a single image and an apparatus should divide the single image intotwo images corresponding to the two pages and output the two images asfiles. In this case, the apparatus can simply divide an image of a fixedsize in two at the center of the image, but needs to divide an image ofa non-fixed size at a different position. It is therefore not clear forthe apparatus where to divide images.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-51383proposes detection of a boundary area through, for example, recognitionof non-text areas based on shapes of edges near a boundary around whichcharacters do not exist and a black-and-white histogram of pixels.

SUMMARY

When an image is divided on the basis of a histogram of pixels of theentirety of the image, however, a plurality of non-text areas mightappear in the case of an image that includes few characters and manyblanks, for example, and the image might be divided at a wrong position.

Aspects of non-limiting embodiments of the present disclosure relate toan image processing apparatus and a non-transitory computer readablemedium capable of accurately dividing an image at a right position in aboundary area, unlike when an image is divided on the basis of ahistogram of pixels of the entirety of an image.

Aspects of certain non-limiting embodiments of the present disclosureovercome the above disadvantages and/or other disadvantages notdescribed above. However, aspects of the non-limiting embodiments arenot required to overcome the disadvantages described above, and aspectsof the non-limiting embodiments of the present disclosure may notovercome any of the disadvantages described above.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided animage processing apparatus including a search unit that searches asearch area, which is a part of a first image extending over two pagesincluded in the first image, for a dividable area, the first image beingindicated by first image data and a division unit that generates secondimage data indicating two second images, each of which corresponds toone of the two pages, by dividing the first image along a dividing linepassing through, in a second direction, which is perpendicular to afirst direction, the dividable area found by the search unit, the firstdirection being a direction across the two pages.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure will be described indetail based on the following figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the appearance of a multifunctionperipheral (MFP) into which an exemplary embodiment of the presentdisclosure is incorporated;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a process performed by the MFPwhose appearance is illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram illustrating a process relating topage consecutive capturing performed by an image processing apparatusillustrated in FIG. 2 as a block;

FIGS. 4A to 4D are diagrams illustrating user interface (UI) screenssuccessively displayed on a touch panel when the MFP illustrated in FIG.1 performs the page consecutive capturing;

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a UI screen for starting reading by ascanner;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a first half of the page consecutivecapturing;

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of an image obtained as aresult of the reading performed by the scanner;

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating coordinates of rectangular text areasillustrated in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an array prepared in step S15illustrated in FIG. 6;

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a second half of the pageconsecutive capturing in a first example;

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating division;

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating adjustment of dimensions;

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating two final second images;

FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating a second half of the pageconsecutive capturing in a second example;

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating a first image different from a firstimage illustrated in FIG. 7;

FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating coordinates of text areas illustratedin FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating an array for the first imageillustrated in FIG. 15 prepared in step S15 illustrated in FIG. 6 and acalculation method employing the array;

FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating division of the first imageillustrated in FIG. 15;

FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating adjustment of dimensions relating tothe first image illustrated in FIG. 15;

FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating two final second images obtained bydividing the first image illustrated in FIG. 15 in two;

FIG. 21 is a diagram illustrating a first image different from the firstimage illustrated in FIG. 7 and the first image illustrated in FIG. 15;

FIG. 22 is a diagram illustrating coordinates of text areas illustratedin FIG. 21;

FIG. 23 is a diagram illustrating an array for the first imageillustrated in FIG. 21 prepared in step S15 illustrated in FIG. 6;

FIG. 24 is a diagram illustrating a dividing line along which the firstimage illustrated in FIG. 21 is divided in two;

FIG. 25 is a diagram illustrating two final second images obtained bydividing the first image illustrated in FIG. 21 in two;

FIG. 26 is a flowchart illustrating a part of a second half of the pageconsecutive capturing in a third example;

FIG. 27 is a diagram illustrating a first image different from the firstimages described above;

FIG. 28 is a diagram illustrating text areas of the first imageillustrated in FIG. 27 in a search area;

FIG. 29 is a flowchart illustrating the second half of the pageconsecutive capturing in the third example other than the partillustrated in FIG. 26;

FIG. 30 is a diagram illustrating reduction in size;

FIG. 31 is a diagram illustrating two images obtained as a result ofdivision;

FIG. 32 is a diagram illustrating two final second images obtained bydividing the first image illustrated in FIG. 27 in two;

FIG. 33 is a diagram illustrating another first image similar to thefirst image illustrated in FIG. 27;

FIG. 34 is a diagram illustrating text areas illustrated in FIG. 33subjected to the reduction; and

FIG. 35 is a flowchart illustrating a second half of the pageconsecutive capturing in a fourth example other than the partillustrated in FIG. 26.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure will be describedhereinafter.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the appearance of an MFP into which theexemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is incorporated.

An MFP 1 includes a scanner 10 and a printer 20. The scanner 10 readsimages recorded on documents. The read images are transmitted to apersonal computer (PC), which is not illustrated, or the like.

The MFP 1 also includes sheet trays 21 storing sheets to be subjected toprinting. The MFP 1 receives image data transmitted from the PC, whichis not illustrated, or the like. The printer 20 prints an image based onthe input image data on a sheet obtained from one of the sheet trays 21,and the sheet on which the image has been printed is conveyed to a sheetstage 22.

The MFP 1 has a copy function. When copying is performed, the scanner 10reads an image on a sheet first. The printer 20 then prints an imagebased on image data obtained as a result of the reading. The MFP 1 alsohas other functions such as a facsimile function. Because the otherfunctions are irrelevant to the present exemplary embodiment, however,description of the other functions is omitted.

The MFP 1 includes a touch panel 30 that serves as a UI. Various piecesof information for a user are displayed on the touch panel 30, and theuser operates the touch panel 30 to input various instructions.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a process performed by the MFP 1whose appearance is illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 illustrates onlyprocessing blocks necessary to describe characteristics of the presentexemplary embodiment.

The MFP 1 includes an image processing apparatus 50 as well as thescanner 10 and the printer 20 described with reference to FIG. 1. Imagedata obtained by the scanner 10 is subjected to image processing in theimage processing apparatus 50 and transmitted to the printer 20. Theprinter 20 prints an image based on the image data subjected to theimage processing on a sheet. The image processing apparatus 50 includeshardware as a computer that executes programs and software to beexecuted by the hardware. The image processing apparatus 50 is anexemplary embodiment of an image processing apparatus in the presentdisclosure.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the scanner 10 reads a document oftwo pages as a single image, and the image processing apparatus 50converts image data indicating the read image obtained as a result ofthe reading into image data indicating two one-page images. Thisfunction will be referred to as “page consecutive capturing” herein.Page consecutive capturing will be described hereinafter.

In the following description, an image on a document or a sheet andimage data obtained by reading an image on a document will not bedistinguished from each other and will be referred to as an “image” forthe sake of simplicity. An image of two pages read by the scanner 10will be referred to as a “first image” or “first image data”, and imagesobtained by dividing the first image in two will be referred to as“second images” or “second image data”.

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram illustrating a process relating tothe page consecutive capturing performed by the image processingapparatus 50 illustrated in FIG. 2 as a block. A function of the imageprocessing apparatus 50 relating to the page consecutive capturing, too,is achieved by a combination of the hardware as a computer that executesprograms and the software to be executed by the hardware. A specificexample of the present exemplary embodiment will be describedhereinafter later, and the present exemplary embodiment will beschematically described with reference to FIG. 3.

The image processing apparatus 50 includes a search unit 51 and adivision unit 52.

The search unit 51 searches a search area, which is a part of a two-pagefirst image extending over two pages, for a dividable area. In thepresent exemplary embodiment, a central part of the first image whoselength in a first direction is half that of the first image is set asthe search area. The configuration of the search unit 51 will bedescribed after the other functional blocks are described.

The division unit 52 generates two one-page second images by dividingthe first image along a dividing line extending in a direction(hereinafter referred to as a “second direction”) perpendicular to adirection across the two pages (hereinafter referred to as a “firstdirection”), the dividing line passing through the dividable area foundby the search unit 51.

The image processing apparatus 50 also includes a correction unit 53 andan adjustment unit 54.

The correction unit 53 and the adjustment unit 54 performpost-processing on the two second images generated by the division unit52.

If the first image is obtained by reading two pages in a thick bookusing the scanner 10, for example, characters on the two pages might beskewed. The characters on the two pages are usually skewed in oppositedirections, and it is difficult to adjust the skew in the first image.In the second images, which are obtained by dividing the first image intwo, however, the characters on the two pages are usually skewed in thesame direction. The correction unit 53 of the image processing apparatus50 corrects the skew of text areas of the two second images generated bythe division unit 52.

The division unit 52 does not necessarily divide the first image at thecenter of the first image in the first direction (the direction acrossthe two pages). The two resultant second images might therefore bedifferent from each other in dimension in the first direction. In thiscase, the adjustment unit 54 adjusts dimensions of the two second imagesto the same value.

The division unit 52 thus divides a first image in two, the correctionunit 53 corrects skew of characters on two second images, and theadjustment unit 54 adjusts dimensions of the two second images.

Next, the configuration of the search unit 51 will be described.

The search unit 51 includes a recognition section 511. The recognitionsection 511 recognizes, on the basis of a software operation forperforming optical character recognition/reader (OCR), text areas of afirst image obtained as a result of reading performed by the scanner 10.The recognition section 511, however, performs OCR only within a searcharea, which is a part of the first image extending over two pages. InOCR, characters in an image and coordinates of the characters in theimage (text area) are recognized, and the division unit 52 usesinformation regarding the coordinates of the characters in the image(text area). OCR software is a widely known technique, and descriptionthereof is omitted here.

The search unit 51 also includes a counting section 512. The countingsection 512 counts the number of text areas arranged in the seconddirection for each of a plurality of pixels arranged in the firstdirection. The plurality of pixels in the first direction need notnecessarily be a plurality of successive pixels but may be a pluralityof intermittent pixels. Because the size of each character can beestimated from a dimension of each text area in the second direction,for example, the number of text areas may be counted for each of pixelsarranged at intervals of about one-tenth of the dimension of eachcharacter. The search unit 51 then searches for a dividable area on thebasis of the distribution of values obtained by the recognition section511.

A method for searching for a dividable area used by the search unit 51will be described hereinafter.

In a first example of the present exemplary embodiment, the search unit51 searches for a first dividable area A1 in which there are, in thefirst direction, a first successive threshold K1 or more pixelsassociated with values obtained by the counting section 512 equal to orsmaller than a first count threshold C1. After the first dividable areaA1 is found, the division unit 52 divides a first image P1 along adividing line DL passing through the first dividable area A1.

In a second example of the present exemplary embodiment, a firstdividable area A1 is searched for as follows. That is, in the secondexample, first, the search unit 51 searches for a first dividable areaA1 in which there are, in the first direction, the first successivethreshold K1 or more pixels whose values obtained by the countingsection 512 are zero. If there is such a first dividable area A1, thedivision unit 52 divides a first image P1 along a dividing line DLpassing through the first dividable area A1.

The search unit 51 includes a first subtraction section 513 in casethere is no first dividable area A1 in which the value of zerocontinues. If there is no first dividable area A1 in which the value ofzero continues, the first subtraction section 513 decreases one by onethe value of each pixel for which the number of text areas has beencounted. Meanwhile, the search unit 51 monitors whether a firstdividable area A1 appears as a result of the decrease in the value ofeach pixel. Here, a lower limit of the value of each pixel is zero. If afirst dividable area A1 in which the value of zero continues more thanthe first successive threshold K1 before the first subtraction section513 decreases the value of each pixel more than the first countthreshold C1, that is, before the first subtraction section 513subtracts the first count threshold C1 from the value of each pixel, thedivision unit 52 divides a first image P1 along a dividing line DLpassing through the first dividable area A1.

If a first dividable area A1 does not appear even after the firstsubtraction section 513 subtracts the first count threshold C1 from thevalue of each pixel, the division unit 52 no longer attempts to find adividable area and divides the first image P1 at a geometrically centralposition in the first direction in the first and second examples. Forexample, the division unit 52 divides the first image P1 along adividing line DL passing through the center, in the first direction, ofa search area SR in which OCR has been performed.

In a third example that will be described hereinafter, however, adividable area continues to be searched for in the following manner evenif a first dividable area A1 does not appear. The search unit 51according to the present exemplary embodiment includes a reductionsection 514 in case a first dividable area A1 does not appear.

The reduction section 514 causes the counting section 512 to operateagain after reducing in size text areas recognized by the recognitionsection 511. As a result of the reduction of the text areas, an arearegarded as a non-text area appears between adjacent two text areas. Thecounting section 512 is caused to operate again with the text areasreduced. If the number of text areas arranged in the second direction iscounted in this state, an area in which there is no text area or fewtext areas in the second direction can appear. Here, the reductionsection 514 reduces text areas little by little. The search unit 51monitors whether a second dividable area A2 in which there are a secondsuccessive threshold K2 or more pixels in the first direction whosevalues are equal to or smaller than a second count threshold C2 hasappeared as a result of the reduction performed by the reduction section514. If a second dividable area A2 appears while the reduction section514 is successively reducing the text areas more than a first timethreshold R1, the division unit 52 divides a first image P1 along adividing line DL passing through the second dividable area A2.

If such a second dividable area A2 does not appear in the third example,the division unit 52 no longer attempts to find a dividable area anddivides the first image P1 along a dividing line DL passing through thecenter, in the first direction, of a search area SR subjected to OCR.

The present exemplary embodiment also prepares a fourth example. If asecond dividable area A2 does not appear as a result of the reduction oftext areas performed by the reduction section 514 in the fourth example,a dividable area continues to be searched for in the following manner.The search unit 51 according to the present exemplary embodiment isprovided with a second subtraction section 515 in case a seconddividable area A2 does not appear in the third example.

The second subtraction section 515 decreases one by one a value of eachpixel for which the number of text areas has been counted. It is to benoted that the second subtraction section 515 decreases one by one avalue of each pixel at a time when the number of text areas has beencounted by repeatedly causing the reduction section 514 to operate thesame number of times as the first count threshold R1.

The search unit 51 then monitors whether a second dividable area A2 hasappeared while the second subtraction section 515 is decreasing thevalue of each pixel one by one. If a second dividable area A2 appearsbefore the second subtraction section 515 is caused to operate more thanthe second count threshold C2, the division unit 52 divides the firstimage P1 along a dividing line DL passing through the second dividablearea A2.

If such a second dividable area A2 is not found even in the fourthexample, however, the division unit 52 unavoidably divides the firstimage P1 along a dividing line DL passing through the center, in thefirst direction, of the search area SR subjected to OCR.

The present exemplary embodiment thus includes the first to fourthexamples. Specific examples of the four examples will be sequentiallydescribed hereinafter.

FIGS. 4A to 4D are diagrams illustrating UI screens successivelydisplayed on the touch panel 30 when the MFP 1 illustrated in FIG. 1performs the page consecutive capturing.

First, the user touches a “scan” button on a menu screen 30A illustratedin FIG. 4A. The UI screen changes to a “reading method” selection screen30B illustrated in FIG. 4B. The user touches “page consecutive capturing(non-fixed size)”. The UI screen changes to a “specify reading size”screen 30C illustrated in FIG. 4C. The user selects A3 size, forexample, on the screen 30C. If the size of a document can be identifiedthrough automatic detection, for example, the “specify reading size”screen 30C illustrated in FIG. 4C may be omitted. As a result of theselection of reading size on the screen 30C, the UI screen changes to a“specify writing direction” screen 30D illustrated in FIG. 4D. The userspecifies vertical writing or horizontal writing on the screen 30D forthe document. In the case of vertical writing, a right page is a firstpage, and in the case of horizontal writing, a left page is a firstpage. This is because first and second pages obtained by dividing animage in two are different between vertical writing and horizontalwriting.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a UI screen 30E for starting reading bythe scanner 10.

The UI screen 30E illustrated in FIG. 5 includes an illustrationindicating that a document should be set to an upper-left corner andvarious buttons such as “start”, “next document”, “no next document”,and “cancel”.

If the user sets a document of two pages on the scanner 10 (refer toFIG. 1) and presses the “start” button, page consecutive capturingstarts with reading of the document.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a first half of the page consecutivecapturing.

First, an image on a document is read in the above procedure (step S11),and automatic position correction is performed (S12). The automaticposition correction is a process performed to rotate a document when,for example, the document has been set and read upside-down. In theautomatic position correction, OCR is performed on some characters in animage, a direction of the characters is identified on the basis of aresult of the OCR, and the image is rotated such that the characters arecorrectly positioned. The OCR will be described with reference to stepS13.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of an image obtained as aresult of the reading performed by the scanner 10. X's on the imageindicate characters.

It is assumed here that the user has selected “A3” on the “specifyreading size” screen 30C illustrated in FIG. 4C and reading has beenperformed within an area of A3 size with a resolution of 300 dots perinch (dpi). In this case, image data including 4,961 pixels in alongitudinal direction (a lateral direction or an X direction) of animage and 3,508 pixels in a vertical direction (Y direction) isobtained. In the example illustrated in FIG. 7, however, a document fromwhich the image has been read is smaller than A3 size, and a gap betweena left edge of the image and a left end of the characters is smallerthan a gap between a right edge of the image and a right end of thecharacters.

The image data obtained in this manner will be referred to as “firstimage data” here. As described above, when an image on a document or asheet is not distinguished from image data and is simply called an“image”, the first image data will be referred to as a “first image”. Inorder to distinguish the first image illustrated in FIG. 7 from otherfirst images illustrated in other figures, the first image illustratedin FIG. 7 will be referred to as a “first image P1_1”.

After the reading of the image on the document (step S11) and theautomatic position correction (step S12) are completed, OCR (hyperlink“https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optical_character_recognition”) isperformed (step S13). Here, the OCR is performed within a search area SRindicated in FIG. 7 by a broken line, which is half as large as thefirst image P1_1 and located at the center of the first image P1_1 in ahorizontal direction indicated by an arrow X. The search area SR is anarea extending over two pages of the first image P1_1 and an example ofa search area in the present disclosure. The X direction across the twopages of the first image P1_1 is an example of a first direction in thepresent disclosure. A Y direction perpendicular to the first directionis an example of a second direction in the present disclosure.

Coordinates of rectangular text areas are identified as a result of theOCR, and coordinate information is obtained (step S14). In the exampleillustrated in FIG. 7, coordinate information regarding text areasindicated by broken lines surrounding characters indicated by X's isobtained. In FIG. 7, left text areas (1) to (6) and right text areas (7)to (11) have been recognized as a result of the OCR. OCR is a widelyknown technique, and further description thereof is omitted here.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating the coordinates of the rectangular textareas illustrated in FIG. 7. “X” and “Y” in FIG. 8 indicate an Xcoordinate and a Y coordinate, respectively, of an upper-left corner ofeach text area. The X and Y coordinates are represented by the number ofpixels at a time when an upper-left corner of the search area SR isdetermined as an origin. “W” and “H” indicate a width (X direction) anda height (Y direction), respectively, of each text area. The width andthe height, too, are represented by the number of pixels.

The X coordinate of the text area (1), for example, is 0, which meansthat characters in the text area (1) begin at a left edge of the searcharea SR. The Y coordinate of the text area (1) is 600, which means thatthe text area (1) is located 600 pixels below an upper edge of thesearch area SR, that is, an upper edge of the first image P1_1. The “W”of the text area (1) is 800, which means that the text area (1) extendsover 800 pixels in the horizontal direction (X direction). The “H” ofthe text area (1) is 200, which means that the text area (1) extendsover 200 pixels in the vertical direction (Y direction). The same holdsfor the text areas (2) to (11).

After the coordinate information regarding the text areas in the searcharea SR illustrated in FIG. 8 is obtained in step S14 illustrated inFIG. 6, an array including the same number of elements as the number ofpixels of the search area SR in the X direction is prepared, and a valueassigned to each element is initialized to zero (step S16).

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating the array prepared in step S15illustrated in FIG. 6.

The array includes 2,480 elements, which is the number of pixels of thesearch area SR in the X direction. Values other than zero might havebeen associated with some elements of the array illustrated in FIG. 9,but all the elements are initialized to zero in step S15 illustrated inFIG. 6.

Next, the number of text areas in the vertical direction (Y direction)is counted for each element (step S16).

The text areas (1) to (6) in the search area SR illustrated in FIG. 7are arranged in the Y direction and extend over 800 pixels in the Xdirection. A value of 6 is therefore assigned to first 800 elements ofthe array illustrated in FIG. 9 from a left end. There is a gap of 700pixels between the text areas (1) to (6) and the text areas (7) to (11)in the search area SR illustrated in FIG. 7, and there is no text areaover the 700 pixels in the Y direction. Values of 700 elements of thearray illustrated in FIG. 9 starting at an 801th element from the leftend therefore remain zero. A value of 5 is assigned to the remainingrightmost elements since the five text areas (7) to (11) are arranged inthe Y direction.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a second half of the pageconsecutive capturing in the first example.

After the counting is performed in step S16 illustrated in FIG. 6 andvalues are assigned to the elements of the array (refer to FIG. 9), adetermination is made in step S21 illustrated in FIG. 10. Here, whetherthere is a first dividable area A1 in which there are the firstsuccessive threshold K1 or more elements whose values are equal to orsmaller than the first count threshold C1. It is assumed, for example,that the first count threshold C1 is 3 and the first successivethreshold K1 is 500. In the array illustrated in FIG. 9, there is afirst dividable area A1 in which there are the first successivethreshold K1=500 or more, namely 700, elements whose values are equal toor smaller than the first count threshold C1=3. A result of step S21,therefore, is YES.

Next, whether the center of the first dividable area A1 is locatedwithin a range of ±α from the center of the search area SR is determined(step S22). It is assumed, for example, that a is 200. In FIG. 9, thecenter of the first dividable area A1 is located 800+700/2=1,150elements away from the left end of the array (i.e., from the left edgeof the search area SR). The width of the search area SR is 2,480elements as illustrated in FIG. 7, and therefore the center of thesearch area SR is located 2,480/2=1,240 pixels away from the left edgeof the search area SR. 1,150, which indicates the center of the firstdividable area A1, is 90 smaller than 1,240, which indicates the centerof the search area SR. That is, in this example, the center of the firstdividable area A1 is located within the range of ±α from the center ofthe search area SR. In this example, therefore, a result of step S22illustrated in FIG. 10 is YES, and the process proceeds to step S24.Cases where the result of step S21 is NO or the result of step S22 is NOwill be described later.

If the result of step S22 is YES and the process proceeds to step S24,the first image P1_1 is divided at the center of the first dividablearea A1, and two second images are generated. To describe this operationmore accurately using the term “image data”, an operation for dividingthe first image P1_1 indicated by first image data is performed, andsecond image data indicating two second images is generated.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating the division.

The center of the first dividable area A1 is located at a 1,150th pixelfrom the left edge of the search area SR. As illustrated in FIG. 11, theleft edge of the first image P1_1 is even 1,240 pixels leftward from theleft edge of the search area SR. In this example, therefore, the firstimage P1_1 is divided along a dividing line DL extending in the verticaldirection (Y direction) at 2,390 pixels rightward from the left edgethereof.

Skew correction is then performed on the two resultant images (stepS26). The skew correction will be described later.

Next, whether dimensions of the two resultant images are the same isdetermined (step S27). In FIG. 11, the dividing line DL is located tothe left of the center of the first image P1_1. It is thereforedetermined in step S26 that the dimensions of the two images are not thesame. The process proceeds to step S28, and the dimensions of the imagesare adjusted.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating the adjustment of the dimensions.

In this specific example, the dividing line DL is located to the left.This means that the left resultant image is shorter than the rightresultant image in the X direction. In step S21, therefore, a blank parthaving a width of 2,480-2,390=90 pixels is added to the left of the leftimage, and a part having a width of 2,571-2,480=91 pixels is removedfrom the right image. The dividing line DL being located to the rightindicates that the document read by the scanner 10 (refer to FIG. 1) isshorter than the reading size (refer to FIG. 4C) in the X direction.That is, the part to be removed from the right image obtained as aresult of the division along the dividing line DL is a blank part.

If it is determined in step S21 illustrated in FIG. 10 that there is nofirst dividable area A1 in which there are the first successivethreshold K1 or more elements whose values are equal to or smaller thanthe first count threshold C1, the process proceeds to step S25 in thefirst example. The first image P1_1 is divided in two along the dividingline DL passing through, in the Y direction, the center, in the Xdirection, of the search area SR. Division near the center performed instep S23 will be described later.

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating two final second images P2_1.

The two second images P2_1 are the same in dimension.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating a second half of the pageconsecutive capturing in the second example. A first half in the secondexample is the same as that in the first example, which is illustratedin FIG. 6, and redundant illustration and description thereof isomitted.

After the counting is performed in step S16 illustrated in FIG. 6 andthe value is assigned to each element of the array (refer to FIG. 9), adetermination is made in step S31 illustrated in FIG. 14. Steps S31 toS34 in the second example usually produce the same result as step S21 inthe second half in the first example illustrated in FIG. 10.

In step S31, whether there is a first dividable area A1 in which thereare the first successive threshold K1 or more elements whose values arezero is determined. As illustrated in FIG. 9, if the value of zerocontinues and there is no value other than zero, the first dividablearea A1 in step S31 is the same as that in the first example. If thereis an element whose value is equal to or smaller than the first countthreshold C1 (e.g., C1=3), namely 2, for example, among values of zeroin the array illustrated in FIG. 9, however, the first dividable area A1in the first example and that in the second example might not be thesame. In the first example, even if there is an element whose value isequal to or smaller than the first count threshold C1 but other thanzero, an area in which there are the first successive threshold K1 ormore elements whose values are equal to or smaller than the first countthreshold C1, including the foregoing element, is determined as thefirst dividable area A1. In the second example, on the other hand, onlysuccessive elements whose values are zero are taken into consideration,and whether there is a first dividable area A1 in which there are thefirst successive threshold K1 or more elements whose values are zero isdetermined. If a value of an element located closer to an end of the 700elements whose values are zero, namely an element 100 pixels leftwardfrom a rightmost one of the 700 elements, is 2 in the array illustratedin FIG. 9, therefore, the first dividable area A1 in the second exampleis leftmost 600 of the 700 elements illustrated in FIG. 9 to which thevalue of zero has been assigned. In this case, the dividing line DL islocated further leftward than in the first example. Such a difference istheoretically possible between the first and second examples, but thesame result is produced in most cases.

Here, as in the first example, the first count threshold C1 is 3. Thefirst successive threshold K1 is also 500 as in the first example. Inthe first example, that is, in the case of the first image P1_1illustrated in FIG. 7, a result of step S31 is YES, and the processproceeds to step S35. Steps S35 to S41 are the same as steps S22 to S28,respectively, in the first example illustrated in FIG. 10, and redundantdescription thereof is omitted. Steps S23 and S26 illustrated in FIG.10, however, have not been described. Step S23 illustrated in FIG. 10will be described later with reference to step S36 illustrated in FIG.14. Step S26 illustrated in FIG. 10, that is, step S39 illustrated inFIG. 14, will be also described later.

If it is determined in step S31 illustrated in FIG. 14 that there is nofirst dividable area A1 in which there are the first successivethreshold K1 or more elements whose values are zero, the processproceeds to step S32. A specific example in which step S32 is performedwill be described hereinafter.

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating a first image P12, which is differentfrom the first image P1_1 illustrated in FIG. 7. The first image P1_2illustrated in FIG. 15 is different from the first image P1_1illustrated in FIG. 7 in that a slightly slanted word “OK” is written atsupposedly the center of two pages. In this case, “0” and “K” have beenrecognized as discrete text areas along with the text areas (1) to (11)in the OCR performed in step S13 illustrated in FIG. 6. Here, the textareas of “0” and “K” are determined as text areas (12) and (13),respectively.

FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating coordinates of the text areas (1) to(13) illustrated in FIG. 15. Meanings of “X”, “Y”, “W”, and “H” in FIG.16 are the same as in FIG. 8.

Here, coordinates of the text area (12) of “0” and coordinates of thetext area (13) of “K” are added to the coordinates of the text areas (1)to (11) illustrated in FIG. 8.

FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating an array for the first image P1_2illustrated in FIG. 15 prepared in step S15 illustrated in FIG. 6 and acalculation method employing the array.

A first array illustrated in FIG. 17 is an array relating to the firstimage P1_2 illustrated in FIG. 15 obtained in step S16 illustrated inFIG. 6. Since the word “OK” is included in the first image P1_2illustrated in FIG. 15, there are two areas in which values of elementsare zero, namely areas A11 and A12. The areas A11 and A12 do not satisfythe condition of the first successive threshold K1=500, that is, neitherthe area A11 nor the area A12 is a dividable area A1. In this case, theresult of step S31 illustrated in FIG. 14 is NO, and the processproceeds to step S32. In step S32, the first count threshold C1 (aninitial value is C1=3) is decreased by 1. Whether the first countthreshold C1 (here, C1=2) after the decrease is larger than zero is thendetermined (step S33). Since the first count threshold C1 is 2, theprocess proceeds to step S34. In step S34, values of all elements of thefirst array illustrated in FIG. 17 are decreased by 1. A lower limit ofthe values, however, is zero. After the decrease, the process returns tostep S31.

A second array illustrated in FIG. 17 is obtained by decreasing thevalues of all the elements of the first array illustrated in FIG. 17by 1. In the second array illustrated in FIG. 17, too, there are twoareas in which values of elements are zero, namely areas A21 and A22.The areas A21 and A22 do not satisfy the condition of the firstsuccessive threshold K1=500, that is, neither the area A21 nor the areaA22 is a first dividable area A1. The process again proceeds to step S32from step S31, and the first count threshold C1 is further decreasedby 1. The first count threshold C1 becomes 1. Whether the first countthreshold C1 is larger than zero is then determined in step S33.Although the first count threshold C1 is 1 here, the first countthreshold C1 is still larger than zero, and the process proceeds to stepS34 again. In step S34, the values of all the elements of the secondarray illustrated in FIG. 17 are decreased by 1 to generate a thirdarray illustrated in FIG. 17. The process again returns to step S31. Instep S31, the third array illustrated in FIG. 17 is referred to. Thethird array illustrated in FIG. 17 includes a first dividable area A1 inwhich there are the first successive threshold K1=500 or more elementswhose values are zero. The result of step S31 becomes YES, and theprocess proceeds to step S35. Processing performed thereafter has beendescribed above except for steps S36 and S39. A loop of steps S31 to S34is repeated again, and after the result of step S33 becomes NO, theprocess proceeds to step S38. The first image P1_2 is divided in twoalong a dividing line DL passing through, in the Y direction, thecenter, in the X direction, of the search area SR. A specific example inwhich the result of step S33 is NO will be described later.

FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating the division of the first image P12illustrated in FIG. 15.

FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating adjustment of dimensions relating tothe first image P12 illustrated in FIG. 15.

FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating two final second images P2_2 obtainedby dividing the first image P1_2 illustrated in FIG. 15 in two.

FIGS. 18 to 20 are the same as FIGS. 11 to 13, respectively, in thefirst example except for the word “OK” is included, and description withreference thereto is omitted.

FIG. 21 is a diagram illustrating a first image P1_3 different from thefirst image P1_1 illustrated in FIG. 7 and the first image P1_2illustrated in FIG. 15. The first image P1_3 illustrated in FIG. 21 isdifferent from the first image P1_1 illustrated in FIG. 7 in that theleft text areas (1) to (6) included in the first image P1_1 illustratedin FIG. 7 do not exist in the first image P1_3 illustrated in FIG. 21and only the right text areas (7) to (11) exist.

FIG. 22 is a diagram illustrating coordinates of the text areas (7) to(11) illustrated in FIG. 21. Meanings of “X”, “Y”, “W”, and “H” in FIG.21 are the same as in FIGS. 8 and 16.

FIG. 23 is a diagram illustrating an array for the first image P1_3illustrated in FIG. 21 prepared in step S15 illustrated in FIG. 6.

In the array, values of leftmost 1,500 elements are zero. It istherefore determined in step S21 illustrated in FIG. 14 that the 1,500elements form a first dividable area A1. Next, whether the center of thefirst dividable area A1 is located within a range of ±α from the centerof the search area SR is determined (step S35). Here, a is 200. In FIG.23, the center of the first dividable area A1 is located at a 750thelement from a left end of the array (i.e., the left edge of the searcharea SR). Since the width of the search area SR is 2,480 pixels asillustrated in FIG. 21, the center of the search area SR is located at a(2,480/2=1240)th pixel from the left edge of the search area SR. 750,which indicates the center of the first dividable area, is 490 smallerthan 1,240, which indicates the center of the search area SR. That is,in this example, the center of the first area A1 is not located withinthe range of ±α from the center of the search area SR. The result ofstep S35 illustrated in FIG. 14 becomes NO, and the process proceeds tostep S36. In step S36, the first image P13 is divided not at the centerof the first dividable area A1 but at a position closer to the center ofthe search area SR.

FIG. 24 is a diagram illustrating a dividing line DL along which thefirst image P1_3 illustrated in FIG. 21 is divided in two.

In this example, a text area does not exist at the center of the searcharea SR, and the first image P1_3 is divided in two along the dividingline DL passing through the center of the search area SR. If there is atext area at the center of the search area SR, the dividing line DL ismoved sideways so that the dividing line DL does not overlap the textarea. Such division is performed in step S36 illustrated in FIG. 14. Thesame holds for step S23 illustrated in FIG. 10.

FIG. 25 is a diagram illustrating two final second images P2_3 obtainedby dividing the first image P1_3 illustrated in FIG. 21 in two.

Since the dividing line DL passes through the center of the search areaSR as illustrated in FIG. 24, the two second images P2_3 obtained as aresult of the division are the same in dimension. Step S41 illustratedin FIG. 14 is therefore not performed.

FIG. 26 is a flowchart illustrating a part of a second half of the pageconsecutive capturing in the third example. The rest of the second halfof the page consecutive capturing in the third example is illustrated ina flowchart of FIG. 29. FIG. 29 will be referred to after FIG. 26 isreferred to. A first half of the page consecutive capturing in the thirdexample is the same as that in the first and second examples illustratedin FIG. 6, and redundant illustration and description thereof isomitted.

Unlike the flowchart of FIG. 26, the flowchart of FIG. 14 in the secondexample includes step S38. In the second example, if the result of stepS33 is NO, the process proceeds to step S38. In the third exampleillustrated in FIG. 26, on the other hand, step S38 is removed, and ifthe result of step S33 is NO, the process proceeds to steps illustratedin FIG. 29. That is, in the second example illustrated in FIG. 14, ifthe result of step S33 is NO, the division unit 52 no longer attempts tofind a dividable area and divides the first image P1_2 at the center ofthe first image P1_2. In the third example, on the other hand, even ifthe result of step S33 is NO, the division unit 52 keeps attempting tofind a dividable area by performing the steps illustrated in FIG. 29.Differences between the second example and the part of the third exampleillustrated in FIG. 26 are as described above, and further descriptionwith reference to FIG. 26 is omitted.

FIG. 27 is a diagram illustrating a first image P14 different from thefirst images P1_1, P12, and P13 described above.

In the first image P1_4, characters on two pages are almost in contactwith each other. In addition, the characters on the two pages areslightly skewed in opposite directions.

The first half of the page consecutive capturing illustrated in FIG. 6is performed on the first image P1_4 illustrated in FIG. 27.

FIG. 28 is a diagram illustrating text areas of the first image P1_4illustrated in FIG. 27 in a search area SR.

Here, there are left text areas (1) to (5) and right text areas (6) to(11).

Although not illustrated or redundantly described, a first dividablearea A1 does not appear even if steps S31 to S34 illustrated in FIG. 14or 26 are performed on an array, like the first array illustrated inFIG. 17, generated by counting the number of these text areas until thefirst count threshold C1 becomes zero. The result of step S33 istherefore NO. In the second example illustrated in FIG. 14, if theresult of step S33 is NO, the process proceeds to step S38, and thefirst image P1_2 is divided at the center of the search area SR in two.In the third example, on the other hand, the process proceeds to thesteps illustrated in FIG. 29.

FIG. 29 is a flowchart illustrating the second half of the pageconsecutive capturing in the third example other than the partillustrated in FIG. 26.

Here, first, the text areas (1) to (11) are reduced in size by one step.

FIG. 30 is a diagram illustrating the reduction in size.

FIG. 30 illustrates the text areas (1) to (11) illustrated in FIG. 28subjected to the reduction by several steps. The text areas (1) to (11)indicated in FIG. 30 by broken lines have been reduced from thoseillustrated in FIG. 28. A left end of each text area has become closerto a right end in the X direction, that is, the right end has becomecloser to the left end. As a result, an area A2 in which there is notext area in the Y direction has appeared.

On the basis of this condition, FIG. 29 is now referred to again.

In step S51 illustrated in FIG. 29, the text areas (1) to (11) arereduced by one step. As a result, the text areas (1) to (11) areslightly reduced. It is to be noted that in the reduction, the textareas (1) to (11) on a coordinate system are reduced and charactersthemselves are not reduced. After the reduction, an array of elementsare prepared and initialized as in steps S15 and S16 illustrated in FIG.6 (step S52), and the number of text areas in the Y direction is countedfor each element (step S53). Whether there is a second dividable area A2in which there are the second successive threshold K2 or more elementswhose values are equal to or smaller than the second count threshold C2is then determined with reference to the array (step S54). It isassumed, for example, that the second count threshold C2 is zero and thesecond successive threshold K2 is 30. In this case, therefore, whetherthere is a second dividable area A2 in which there are 30 or moreelements whose values are zero is determined in step S54. If a seconddividable area A2 has appeared as illustrated in FIG. 30, the processproceeds to step S57, and the first image P1_4 is divided in two along adividing line DL passing through, in the Y direction, the center of thesecond dividable area A2.

If a result of step S54 is NO, on the other hand, the first countthreshold R1 is decreased by 1 (step S55). The first count threshold R1is a coefficient for determining how many times the reduction (step S51)is to be performed and is 3, for example, as an initial value. In thiscase, if step S55 is performed for the first time, the first countthreshold R1 becomes 2. Whether the first count threshold R1 subjectedto the reduction is larger than zero is then determined (step S56), andif so, the process returns to step S51, and the reduction is performedagain.

If a result of step S56 is NO, the process proceeds to step S58. In stepS58, the first image P1_4 is divided in two along a dividing line DLpassing through, in the Y direction, the center of the search area SR.

FIG. 31 is a diagram illustrating two images obtained as a result of thedivision.

As illustrated in FIG. 27, the characters on the two pages of the firstimage P14 before the division are slightly skewed in the oppositedirections. The characters are therefore slightly skewed, too, in thetwo images obtained as a result of the division illustrated in FIG. 31.Since the characters on the two pages of the first image P1_4 before thedivision are skewed in the opposite directions, it is difficult tocorrect the skew of the characters. In the case of the two imagesobtained as a result of the division, on the other hand, the characterson each image are skewed in the same direction. Skew correction, inwhich images are rotated to correct positions of characters, cantherefore be performed. In step S59, the skew correction is performed.The same operation is performed in skew correction in step S26illustrated in FIG. 10 and step S39 illustrated in FIG. 14. Ifdimensions of the two images are different from each other (step S60),the dimensions are adjusted to the same value (step S61). The adjustmentof dimensions has been described with reference to FIG. 12, andredundant description thereof is omitted.

FIG. 32 is a diagram illustrating two final second images P2_4 obtainedby dividing the first image P1_4 illustrated in FIG. 27 in two. The skewof the characters has been corrected through the skew correction, andthe two second images 2_4 having the same dimension have been obtained.

Next, the fourth example will be described.

Although the characters on the two pages are close to each other in thefirst image P1_4 illustrated in FIG. 27, the left text areas (1) to (5)and the right text areas (6) to (11) are recognized as discrete textareas in the OCR performed in step S13 illustrated in FIG. 6.

FIG. 33 is a diagram illustrating another first image P1_5 similar tothe first image P1_4 illustrated in FIG. 27.

The first image P1_5 illustrated in FIG. 33 includes the text areas (1)to (11) recognized in the OCR. In FIG. 33, however, unlike in FIG. 28,the left text area (2) and the right text area (7) are not recognized asdiscrete text areas but as a single text area (2-7).

FIG. 34 is a diagram illustrating the text areas (1) to (11) illustratedin FIG. 33 subjected to the reduction.

As illustrated in FIG. 34, when left and right text areas are connectedto each other, text areas might not be separated into two pages evenafter reduction.

A process performed in the fourth example will be described on the basisof the above description with reference to FIGS. 33 and 34.

In the fourth example, as in the first to third examples, the stepsillustrated in FIG. 6 are performed in the first half of the pageconsecutive capturing. In the second half, the steps illustrated in FIG.26 are performed first as in the third example.

In the fourth example, steps illustrated in FIG. 35 are performed afterthe result of step S33 illustrated in FIG. 26 becomes NO.

FIG. 35 is a flowchart illustrating a second half of the pageconsecutive capturing in the fourth example except for the partillustrated in FIG. 26.

Unlike the flowchart of FIG. 29 in the third example, the flowchart ofFIG. 35 includes steps S71 to S74 between steps S51 to S56 and steps S57to S61 illustrated in FIG. 29. That is, in the third example illustratedin FIG. 29, if the result of step S56 is NO, the division unit 52 nolonger attempts to find a dividable area and divides the first image P13at the center of the search area SR. In the fourth example illustratedin FIG. 35, on the other hand, even if the result of step S56 is NO, thedivision unit 52 keeps attempting to find a dividable area by performingadditional steps.

Steps S71 to S74 are the same as steps S31 to S34, respectively. Here,however, an array generated in step S53 after the reduction in step S51is performed the same number of times as the first count threshold R1 isused. An initial value of the second count threshold C2 is zero here inorder to maintain consistency with FIGS. 33 and 34 used to describe thefourth example. In the example illustrated in FIGS. 33 and 34, only onepair of left and right text areas are connected to each other, namelythe text area (2-7). The second dividable area A2 illustrated in FIG. 30therefore appears by decreasing the value of each element of the arrayone by one in step S71. As a result, a result of step S72 becomes YES,and the process proceeds to step S57. If there are a plurality of pairsof left and right text areas connected to each other and the initialvalue of the second count threshold C2 is 3, for example, steps S71 toS74 are performed C2=3 times at maximum. If, meanwhile, the result ofstep S72 becomes YES, the process proceeds to step S57. If the result ofstep S72 remains NO even after steps S71 to S74 are performed C2=3times, the process proceeds to step S58, and the first image P1_5 isdivided in two at the center of the search area SR.

Although the first count threshold C1 and the second count threshold C2are predetermined fixed values, namely C1=3 and C2=0, in the aboveexemplary embodiment, the first count threshold C1 and the second countthreshold C2 need not be fixed values and may be determined for eachimage, instead. The first count threshold C1 and the second countthreshold C2 may be one-fifth of a maximum value of values of elementsof an array such as that illustrated in FIG. 9 or half an average ofvalues of elements of an array.

Although the first successive threshold K1 and the second successivethreshold K2 are predetermined fixed values, namely K1=500 and K2=30, inthe above exemplary embodiment, the first successive threshold K1 andthe second successive threshold K2 need not be fixed values and may bedetermined for each image, instead. If there are a plurality of discreteareas in the array illustrated in FIG. 9 in which the value of zerocontinues, for example, the first successive threshold K1 and the secondsuccessive threshold K2 may be adjusted such that small areas areignored.

The first count threshold R1, too, may be adjusted for each image,instead.

Although binary images are assumed in the above exemplary embodimentwithout particularly providing description, the exemplary embodiment mayalso be applied to multi-valued images after binarization is performed.In the case of a color image, luminance information, for example, may beextracted and binarized.

The foregoing description of the exemplary embodiment of the presentdisclosure has been provided for the purposes of illustration anddescription. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit thedisclosure to the precise forms disclosed. Obviously, many modificationsand variations will be apparent to practitioners skilled in the art. Theembodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain theprinciples of the disclosure and its practical applications, therebyenabling others skilled in the art to understand the disclosure forvarious embodiments and with the various modifications as are suited tothe particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of thedisclosure be defined by the following claims and their equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. An image processing apparatus comprising: asearch unit that searches a search area, which is a part of a firstimage extending over two pages included in the first image, for adividable area, the first image being indicated by first image data; anda division unit that generates second image data indicating two secondimages, each of which corresponds to one of the two pages, by dividingthe first image along a dividing line passing through, in a seconddirection, which is perpendicular to a first direction, the dividablearea found by the search unit, the first direction being a directionacross the two pages, wherein the search unit includes a recognitionsection that recognizes text areas in the search area, a countingsection that counts a number of the text areas arranged in the seconddirection for each of a plurality of pixels arranged in the search areain the first direction, and wherein the search unit searches for thedividable area on a basis of distribution of values of the plurality ofpixels obtained by the counting section.
 2. The image processingapparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of pixels areintermittently arranged in the first direction.
 3. The image processingapparatus according to claim 1, wherein the search unit searches for afirst dividable area in which there are, in the first direction, a firstsuccessive threshold or more pixels associated with a value obtained bythe counting section equal to or smaller than a first count threshold,and wherein the division unit divides the first image along a dividingline passing through the first dividable area.
 4. The image processingapparatus according to claim 2, wherein the search unit searches for afirst dividable area in which there are, in the first direction, a firstsuccessive threshold or more pixels associated with a value obtained bythe counting section equal to or smaller than a first count threshold,and wherein the division unit divides the first image along a dividingline passing through the first dividable area.
 5. The image processingapparatus according to claim 3, wherein, if the first dividable areadoes not exist, the division unit divides the first image at ageometrically central position in the first direction.
 6. The imageprocessing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the search unitsearches for a first dividable area in which there are, in the firstdirection, a first successive threshold or more pixels associated with avalue of zero obtained by the counting section, and wherein, if thefirst dividable area exists, the division unit divides the first imagealong a dividing line passing through the first dividable area.
 7. Theimage processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the search unitsearches for a first dividable area in which there are, in the firstdirection, a first successive threshold or more pixels associated with avalue of zero obtained by the counting section, and wherein, if thefirst dividable area exists, the division unit divides the first imagealong a dividing line passing through the first dividable area.
 8. Theimage processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the search unitincludes a first subtraction section that, if the first dividable areadoes not exist, decreases one by one the value of each pixel, which hasbeen obtained by counting the number of lines in the text areas, andwherein, if the first dividable area appears before the firstsubtraction section is caused to operate more than a first countthreshold, the division unit divides the first image along the dividingline passing through the first dividable area.
 9. The image processingapparatus according to claim 3, wherein the search unit includes areduction section that, if the first dividable area does not exist,reduces in size the text areas recognized by the recognition section andcauses the counting section to operate again, and wherein, if a seconddividable area in which there are, in the first direction, a secondsuccessive threshold or more pixels whose values are equal to smallerthan a second count threshold appears before the reduction section iscaused to operate more than the first count threshold, the division unitdivides the first image along a dividing line passing through the seconddividable area.
 10. The image processing apparatus according to claim 8,wherein the search unit includes a reduction section that, if the firstdividable area does not exist, reduces in size the text areas recognizedby the recognition section and causes the counting section to operateagain, and wherein, if a second dividable area in which there are, inthe first direction, a second successive threshold or more pixels whosevalues are equal to smaller than a second count threshold appears beforethe reduction section is caused to operate more than the first countthreshold, the division unit divides the first image along a dividingline passing through the second dividable area.
 11. The image processingapparatus according to claim 9, wherein, if the second dividable areadoes not appear even after the reduction section is caused to operate asame number of times as the first count threshold, the division unitdivides the first image at a geometrically central position in the firstdirection.
 12. The image processing apparatus according to claim 9,wherein the search unit includes a second subtraction section that, ifthe second dividable area does not appear even after the reductionsection is caused to operate a same number of times as the first countthreshold, decreases one by one the value of each pixel obtained by thecounting section by causing the reduction section to operate the samenumber of times as the first count threshold, and wherein, if the seconddividable area appears before the second subtraction section is causedto operate more than the second count threshold, the division unitdivides the first image along the dividing line passing through thesecond dividable area.
 13. The image processing apparatus according toclaim 12, wherein, if the second dividable area does not appear evenafter the second subtraction section operates a same number of times asthe second count threshold, the division unit divides the first image ata geometrically central position in the first direction.
 14. The imageprocessing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: anadjustment unit that, if dimensions, in the first direction, of the twosecond images indicated by the second image data generated as a resultof the division performed by the division unit are different from eachother, adjusts the dimensions of the two second images.
 15. The imageprocessing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: acorrection unit that corrects skew of text areas for each of the twosecond images indicated by the second image data generated by thedivision performed by the division unit.
 16. A non-transitory computerreadable medium storing a program that is executed in an informationprocessing apparatus and that causes the information processingapparatus to execute a process for processing an image, the processcomprising: searching a search area, which is a part of a first imageextending over two pages included in the first image, for a dividablearea, the first image being indicated by first image data; andgenerating second image data indicating two second images, each of whichcorresponds to one of the two pages, by dividing the first image along adividing line passing through, in a second direction, which isperpendicular to a first direction, the dividable area found in thesearching, the first direction being a direction across the two pages,wherein the process of searching the search area includes recognizingtext areas in the search area, counting a number of the text areasarranged in the second direction for each of a plurality of pixelsarranged in the search area in the first direction, and wherein thedividable area is searched on a basis of distribution of values of theplurality of pixels.